Probe supporting apparatus for wind tunnels



Oct. 7, 1952 H. w. KLAS PROBE SUPPORTING APPARATUS FOR WIND TUNNELS 2 SHEETSf-SHEET l Filed Oct. 17, 1951 W MJA, W

,.L. INVENTOR.

Oct. 7, 1952 H. w. KLAS' PROBE SUPPORTING APPARATUS FCR WIND TUNNEL- Filed Oct. 17, 1951 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Zi z Z7 lrulrlllnnnnnlk Patented Oct. 7, 1952 UNITED STATESy -i-OFFFFICEE Pls-oen SUPPORTING nPPnltA'rUsf-F'onv WIND TUNNELS Harold W. Klas, Sylvania, Ghia-assigner to the United States of America asrepresentedby ythe .Secretary of .the Air Force Application October 17, 1951,SerilfNogiZl This invention relates toa probe supporting ap paratus for use in a wind tunnel to adjustably support a hollow Vprobe, for obtaining the char acteristics of the air -iow in :the tunnel.

The primary .object of the :invention is to. provide a supporting apparatus for a hollow probe to be positioned vin-.a wind tunnel for determining the characteristics ofthe airgpassing :over a test specimen as a vane, air foil or other aerodynamic section, and wherein the supporting apparatus includes means to vary the angle of the probe with respect to the -gener-al direction .of air flow and means to vary the relative spacing between the probe and aerodynamic 4section in horizontal and vertical directions respectively.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vsupporting apparatus fora hollow probe to be positioned in a wind tunnel for determining 'the characteristics of the air passing over a test specimen such as a vane or air `foil and wherein the supporting apparatus includes a para-llelogram linkage lot which one link is part :of the probe structure, wherein means vis provided to rotate a link parallel to the link forming part of the probe .structure and wherein independent means is provided `to rotate another link forming one of the other pair of links in the parallelogram linkage, whereby the probe structure `may be readily adjusted to any position in the plane of the probe structure and to any relative yangle within the limits of the mechanical elements forming the supporting apparatus.

The above and other objects O f the invention will become apparent on reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation view of the probe supporting apparatus.

Fig. 2 r is a transverse Vcross section taken on line 2..-..-2 o f Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross section taken on line 3-.3 o fFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse kcross section taken ,on line 6.-..4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross sectionV of a lead screw driving means for moving the main carriage along the base of the apparatus.

In supersonic wind tunnels for aerodynamic testing of vanes and air foils a means should be provided in back of or downstream from the test specimen for determiningr or continuously sarnpling the characteristics of the air now past the test specimen. Placing of the air sampling probe downstream vfrom the test specimen will always prevent air flow disturbance ahead of the testA specimen. The test specimen may be mounted at c claims. (cifra-.147.)

2 various angles ofaattack lw-ith'respectl to theggeneral direction oiiairrlow aindin various positions with respectiitolthe walls of the tunnel. Thus prov-isionanust :also be :made to facilitate positional adjustment `of' theair 'sampling probenear to or in Y.predetermined spaced rrelation with respect `to the test specimen. .Furthermore in `case a -series zof spaced apart valles :are under test simultaneously it should be possible to periodically adjust the air. :sampling Aprobe V-to various positions near :the respective vanes according to WhichWane is being :studied at the moment. `The air vlow-overand around the vanes may lbe ianalyzed by the various means .such as Schlieren pictures orsmoke patterns vand the forces acting on Athe 'vanos may be .determined some cases by kdelicate force measuring .devices combined Vin the -vane suspension means.

Int-he present probe supporting apparatus as shown in Fig..r1 the probe supporting apparatus is shown apart from `a `wind tunnel but it will be iunderstoodtl'xat the -air flow will be in the general direction of the arrows A and that the element I Arepresents an air foil mounted in the wind tun-nel upstream 'from the probe and probe supporting apparatus. 'The open y free end of the probe :2 bis Anormally vpositioned just behind orldownstream with respect to the air foil element iI ".Eheprobe supportingapparatus is positioned in the 'wind tunnel and includes a bed plate 3 lfixed to the iloor of the tunnel and extending longitudinally thereof.

The probe supporting-and adjusting apparatus itself comprises abaseslidably mounted in ways formed in the bed plate 3 (see Fig. 2) The 'doven tail -ways in the `hed plate receive a beveled member 5 .-attachedrigidly to the underside of the base 4 byscrews `6. Midway between the beveled edges the member 5 is provided with a screw threaded opening to receive a lead screw 'I adapted for rotation'byv a manually operated crank :8 (see Fig. 5). The screw 'I when rotated in one direction or the other causes longitudinal reciprocation of .the base or carriage 4 tobring the probe supporting afliparatus into any desired position along the length .of the wind tunnel or along the length of the bed plate 3. .Fixed .to Ithe base kll in consecutive series are a probe supporting standard 5, a'gear boxll), a lfirst servomotor vIl and a second servomotor I2. The standard 9 is bifurcated atits `upper end to receive a lever I3 rotatably mounted on a transverse pin I4. The upper end of .the lever `I3 is also bifurcated to receive a link I5 Aand also one end of aturnbuckle I6 secured in place iby means of a transverse pivot Il. The

i' other end portion I6' of the turnbuckle I6 is threadedly connected to the lever and link actuating end and is rotatably actuated by the servomotor I2. The outer end of the link I5 serves to pivotally support a block I8, While at its lower end the block is pivotally supported by a pair of similar spaced apart links I9 and 20. `The other ends of links I9 and 20' are pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the transverse pin I4. 'Ihe probe element 2 includes a lower end 2' of inverted L- shape. The downwardly extending leg is retained in position by a small dowel pin 2|, while the upper horizontal leg is held in place by a screw 22. For removing the probe element 2 ythis provides a convenient mounting means, since removal of the one screw 22 permits instant removal of the probe. A central air passage 23 in the probe extends from a small nipple 23', adapted to connect with a ilexible tubing, to the extreme free end of the probe adjacent to the trailing edge of vane or air foil I.

Changes in the angle of linksv I5 and I9, 28 independently of the possible movement of lever I 3 is effected by actuation of the link I9. The lower end of link I9 carries an extension I9 on which is xed a gear sector 24. The sector 2li meshes with a pinion 25 rotatably situated to one side of the gear box or support I EJ and rigidly mounted ona shaft 25. The shaft 26 also carries a second pinion or gear 2l in mesh with a worm 28 carried on an extension shaft 29 on the servomotor II. Thus rotation ofthe motor I I in either direction effects movement of the link lil about the pin I4 and thus raises and lowers the probe supporting block I8. The links I5 and I9 and their connecting members I3 and I 8 form a parallelogram linkage moveable into an infinite number of positions. A second possible position of the linkage and probe is shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. Just as the long links i5 and I are always maintained parallel, so are the short links I3 and I8 always parallel to each other. In the positions illustrated the'probe 2 is approximately horizontal but by action of the servomotor I2 the vertical position of the link or lever I3 may be changed thus similarly changing the position of link IB and causing an equiangular change inthe relative position of probe Within the limits of the mechanical elements, the probe 2 may assume an infinite number of positions near or around the air foil I and may also assume any angle above or below the horizontal position shown within the limits of movement of the lever I3 about the transverse pin I4.

rhe two servomotors II and I2 maybe of any reversible type and may form Selsyn receivers in two independent powered Selsyn adapted to be remotely controlled from a central control board including a probe position indicator. ln Figs. 2, 3 and i the side Walls of the tunnel are represented by the sections 3D and 3l but the actual construction of the tunnel" itself is of no specific interest in the present disclosure. Noting Fig. 5 it will be seen that an end wall 32 forming part of the tunnel structure and housing for the probesupporting apparatus has secured on its inner side a shaft' bearing 33 to which is threaded a shaft housing 34. A central shaft S5 in the shaft housing includes a projecting end 39 tobe received in the hand crank 3 for causing rotation of the shaft. The shaft 35 is keyed to the lead screw. 'i within a second bearing member 3l. By manual rotation of the crank 8 and lead screw 1, the base l may be reciprocated back and forth to any desired position on the bed plate `t. The parallelogram systems linkage supporting the probe element should be very accurately made and assembled with special attention to the fit of the pivots in the links. It is further noted that a window will normally be provided in the wind tunnel wall near the air foil under test and through the window the air sampling probe may be observed with relation to the test specimen. The flexible tubing (not shown) which connects at one end to the tting 23 may extend to a manometer tube or any desired pressure indicator or air speed indicator.

The embodiments of the invention herein shown and described are to be regarded es illustrative only and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of variations, modications and changes within the scope ol the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A probe supporting apparatus for wind tunnel testing of aerodynamic sections comprising, a base member extending longitudinally with respect to the wind tunnel, a parallelogram linkage having four links pivotally connected in opposite pairs, means adjustably supporting one link of one pair in an upright position on said base member, means for adjustably supporting one link of the other pair in any angular position over a limited range on both sides of a horizontal position, and means including the other link of said one pair for retaining a projecting probe on said parallelograin linkage.

2. A probe supporting apparatus for wind tunnel testing of aerodynamic sections comprising, a base member extending longitudinally with respect to the wind tunnel, means including a manually operable member for adjusting the position of said base member along the length of the wind tunnel, a parallelogram linkage having four links pivotally connected in opposite pairs, means adjustably supporting one link of one pair in an upright position on said base member, means for adjustably supporting one link of the other pair in any angular position over a limited range on both sides of a horizontal position, and means including the other link of said one pair for retaining a projecting probe on said parallelogram linkage with the free projecting end of the probe directed upstream from the probe supporting apparatus.

3. A probe supporting apparatus for wind tunnel testing of aerodynamic sections comprising, a base member extending longitudinally with respect to the wind tunnel, a parallelogram linkage having four links pivotally connected in opposite pairs, means adjustably supporting one link of one pair in an upright position on said ybase inember and capable of adjusting said one link within a limited range on both sides of a vertical position, means for adjustably supporting one link of the other pair in any angular position over a limited range on both sides of a horizontal position, means including the other link of said one pair for detachably retaining a projecting probe on said parallelogram linkage, a probe structure detachably retained on said other link of said one pair and having a central passage therethrough, and means at the lower end of said central passage to retain a flexible tubing in connection with said passage.

4. A probe supporting apparatus for wind tunnel testing of aerodynamic sections comprising, a base member extending longitudinally with respect to the wind tunnel, a rigid Support extending upwardly from said base member, `a rst link secured to and extending upwardly from said rigid support, a pair of parallel links pivoted at adjacent ends on said first link at opposite ends of the irst link, a probe structure including a portion forming another link the same length as said rst link and parallel thereto, means pivotally mounting said other link on the other ends of said pair of parallel links, and means for adjusting the angle of said pair of parallel links With respect to the horizontal over a limited range.

5. A probe supporting apparatus for Wind tunnel testing of aerodynamic sections comprising, a base member extending longitudinally with respect to the Wind tunnel, a rigid support extending upwardly from said base member, a rst link pivoted at the upper end of said rigid support, means to adjust the angle of said iirst link Within a limited range on both sides of a vertical position, a pair of parallel links pivoted at adjacent ends on said lirst link at opposite ends of the rst link, a probe structure including a portion forming another link the same length as said first link and parallel thereto, means pivotally mounting said other link on the other ends of said pair of parallel links, and means for adjusting the angle of said pair of parallel links Within a limited range on both sides of horizontal positions.

6. A probe supporting apparatus for Wind tunnel testing of aerodynamic sections comprising, a 30 base member extending longitudinally with respeet to the Wind tunnel, a rigid support extending upwardly from said base member, a iirst link pivoted at the upper end of said rigid support, a turnbuckle having one end portion pivotally mounted on the upper end of said first link, a reversible servomotor fixed on said base member and including a drive shaft connected to the other end portion of said turnbuckle to adjust the angle of said iirst link Within a limited range on both sides of a vertical position, a pair of parallel links pivoted at adjacent ends on said iirst link at opposite ends of the first link, a probe structure including a portion forming another link the same length as said iirst link and parallel thereto, means pivotally mounting said other link on the other ends of said pair of parallel links, an extension on the one of said pair of parallel links connected at the lower end of said first link, a gear sector fixed on said extension, a pinion gear meshing withsaid gear sector, and means including another reversible servomotor for driving said pinion gear to adjust the angle of said pair of parallel links Within a limited range on both sides of horizontal positions.

HAROLD W; KLAS,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of :record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,295,046 Lohnes Feb. 18, 1919 1,498,023 Fales June 17, 1924 1,939,047 Gerhardt et al. 'Dec. 12, 1933 

